missileer

From missile +‎ -eer.

missileer (plural missileers)

1. One who launches missiles.
   • July 1956, Naval Aviation News page 5:

     Scientists at the Center are quick to point out that in launching of missiles, the missileer must be right

2. One who designs or works with missiles.
   • 13 March 2014, US air force documents reveal 'rot' in culture of nuclear weapons officers, The Guardian:

     Launch officers, or missileers, entrusted with the keys to the missiles did poorly and, on their own, would have flunked, the records show.

   • 2025 February 14, Sarah Matusek, Alfredo Sosa, “Deep underground, missileers watch over America’s nuclear weapons”, in The Christian Science Monitor:

     Two missileers rush to the console; strap into their seats; notice their hearts are racing but choose to ignore that; whip out classified codebooks; chip away at a decryption to confirm the command; think of loved ones above off to school or home from work; steady frantic fingers; wake silos from their sleep; place a left hand on a switch and a right hand on a key (if the commander); place two hands on two separate switches (if the deputy); focus on the mission, the mission, the mission; and should one missileer object, two other crews, miles from here, will step in and authorize the launch.

• missileman

• misrelies